variants
also skunk
as in dogs
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
he's nothing but a dirty, rotten skunk
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bombs
to defeat by a large margin
we ended up skunking them, as our goalie was able to prevent the other team from scoring a single goal
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in masters
to achieve a victory over
our football team consistently skunks our traditional rivals Thanksgiving after Thanksgiving
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stings
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
unwilling to let suppliers skunk him, the restaurant owner inspected every shipment before signing off on it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of skunks
Stuart Dyos, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Oct. 2025
That’s a sure way to invite not only raccoons but other unwanted guests such as mice, opossums, and skunks.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
Animals that typically carry rabies are bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Your neighborhood is home to all sorts of amazing animals, from racoons, squirrels and skunks to birds, bugs and snails.
—Steven Sullivan, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
Rabies can be found in many other wildlife species, including raccoons, skunks, coyotes and foxes.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
Around 75% of Americans are exposed to raccoons, skunks and foxes — the very wildlife that commonly spread the fatal disease to humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
—Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025
The skunk with distemper is stuck in the window well again, chewing incessantly on the garden hose that is coiled up in there.
—Miriam Toews
september 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
His yard now attracts wildlife, including raccoons, skunks and even the occasional coyote.
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 30 Aug. 2025
Noun
While striped skunk is edible, Coalition Brewing warns against its strong odor, scavenger diet and susceptibility to parasites.
—Stuart Dyos, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Oct. 2025
That’s a sure way to invite not only raccoons but other unwanted guests such as mice, opossums, and skunks.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
Animals that typically carry rabies are bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Your neighborhood is home to all sorts of amazing animals, from racoons, squirrels and skunks to birds, bugs and snails.
—Steven Sullivan, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
Rabies can be found in many other wildlife species, including raccoons, skunks, coyotes and foxes.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
Around 75% of Americans are exposed to raccoons, skunks and foxes — the very wildlife that commonly spread the fatal disease to humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
—Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025
The skunk with distemper is stuck in the window well again, chewing incessantly on the garden hose that is coiled up in there.
—Miriam Toews
september 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
His yard now attracts wildlife, including raccoons, skunks and even the occasional coyote.
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 30 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skunks
Noun
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Bring your dogs, your kids, your grandparents.—
Jordyn Noennig,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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Late risers in pajamas walked their dogs, two men squabbled over a parking spot, and neighbors and shopkeepers went about their routines.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Ukraine bombs Russian energy infrastructure to defend civilians and destroy the Kremlin war machine.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Remind them their worth is non-negotiable When your child fails — gets cut from the team, bombs a test — remind them their value isn't up for debate.—
Jennifer Breheny Wallace,
CNBC,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This storied sandwich is served each year at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia; and many have long tried to replicate the recipe, which seemingly masters the perfect ratio of ingredients for classic egg salad.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
23 Aug. 2025
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Focus is difficult and hardly anyone masters the skill.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Even though the defeat stings, all the Hurricanes’ goals are still there for the taking.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
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But for Hovland, the lingering frustration of missing Sunday singles and watching Harris English sit out for no fault of his own still stings.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Archaeologists uncovered only four animal motifs—rams, felines, birds, and snakes—suggesting the artistic tradition started on a more modest note.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Oct. 2025
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The two colubrid snakes in the study had fangs further back in their mouths.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In the video, Campos whips her long hair in disbelief.—
Christina Noriega,
Refinery29,
13 Oct. 2025
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So unless Benito uncharacteristically whips out a slate of cover songs, his set will be entirely in Spanish.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In these sparsely populated spaces, the mountain always defeats the human, instilling a deep respect for the environment.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
24 Oct. 2025
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The Vigenère cipher ingeniously defeats straightforward frequency analysis because not all E’s, for example, will get mapped to the same letter.—
Jack Murtagh,
Scientific American,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Robotic system overcomes key technical challenges If implemented at large scale, the system could help tackle range anxiety for EVs.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
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The depth of humanity Kosztolányi brings to the sorrowful life of Skylark and her adoring parents is magical, and rewards anyone who overcomes its modest premise.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skunks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skunks. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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